Heather M Stidham
October 2024
Heather M
Stidham
,
BSN, RN
Nursery/ Mom-Baby
Advent Health Shawnee Mission
Mirriam
,
KS
United States
There were many times that I just needed someone to verbally process my experience with, and she would come and sit in my room and just listen to me talk.
I was admitted to Shawnee Mission Advent Hospital and delivered my son two days later. Then, I had two weeks of complications to follow. There were a series of complications that the OBs admittedly hadn't ever seen the likes of. This warranted the input of a variety of specialists, bringing together a combination of 5 areas of expertise. Through all of this, there were so many different nurses in and out of my room. While they were all incredible, this nurse stood out far above the rest.
The sentiment of "too many cooks in the kitchen" rang true throughout my whole stay in the hospital. Her dedication to ensuring my voice was heard and represented was unparalleled to anything I could have expected. She made sure that I was educated and understood all of the different options being presented to me, ensuring my ability to make informed decisions about my care; things I never thought would be part of my birthing experience. "Do you want a blood transfusion?" "How do you feel about going into surgery again?" "Do you want to get a midline so you can receive IV antibiotics at home?" I had this nurse for multiple shifts in a row, and she quickly began to learn my nonverbal cues. She picked up on when I needed space and quiet in my room, knew when I needed more support and help with my voice being heard, and when I really just needed a few cups of orange sherbet.
With so many different specialists working on my case, she had no fear of asking them clarifying questions, calling them as many times as necessary, and ensuring we had an appropriate plan of action. She was there to support and help heal the physical trauma that my body was going through, but she also made sure to support and heal the mental trauma I had experienced in those two weeks. There were many times that I just needed someone to verbally process my experience with, and she would come and sit in my room and just listen to me talk. She validated my feelings while still working to make sure I understood what was going on or what the plan was for my care. I genuinely don't think I would have come out of an external hematoma, four coils to stop arterial bleeds, two operations, one midline, a catheter, and an unfortunate amount of tremendous plan without Heather’s unwavering dedication to my physical, mental, and emotional needs.
The sentiment of "too many cooks in the kitchen" rang true throughout my whole stay in the hospital. Her dedication to ensuring my voice was heard and represented was unparalleled to anything I could have expected. She made sure that I was educated and understood all of the different options being presented to me, ensuring my ability to make informed decisions about my care; things I never thought would be part of my birthing experience. "Do you want a blood transfusion?" "How do you feel about going into surgery again?" "Do you want to get a midline so you can receive IV antibiotics at home?" I had this nurse for multiple shifts in a row, and she quickly began to learn my nonverbal cues. She picked up on when I needed space and quiet in my room, knew when I needed more support and help with my voice being heard, and when I really just needed a few cups of orange sherbet.
With so many different specialists working on my case, she had no fear of asking them clarifying questions, calling them as many times as necessary, and ensuring we had an appropriate plan of action. She was there to support and help heal the physical trauma that my body was going through, but she also made sure to support and heal the mental trauma I had experienced in those two weeks. There were many times that I just needed someone to verbally process my experience with, and she would come and sit in my room and just listen to me talk. She validated my feelings while still working to make sure I understood what was going on or what the plan was for my care. I genuinely don't think I would have come out of an external hematoma, four coils to stop arterial bleeds, two operations, one midline, a catheter, and an unfortunate amount of tremendous plan without Heather’s unwavering dedication to my physical, mental, and emotional needs.